RIA NOVOSTI INTERVIEW BY RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL SPOKESMAN ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO ON RUSSO-SYRIAN RELATIONS IN VIEW OF JANUARY 14-16TH RUSSIAN VISIT BY SYRIAN VICE PRESIDENT ABDEL KHALIM KHADDAM

Question: How would you elaborate on the present-day relations between Russia and Syria?

Answer: Syria is a leading country in the region not only in terms of its economic and manpower potential but also in terms of its political role in the Middle East. Damascus has a say in the entire Arab and Moslem world. It goes without saying that Syria is the key country in the all-embracing Middle East settlement.

Russo-Syrian relations have a long and eventful background. Over decades, the countries have been on friendly terms, showing mutual understanding and respect for each other's interests. Besides, the two states have maintained political contacts at all levels.

Trade and economic ties have been and still are the most productive. Syria has built over 200 important economic facilities, above all in the power engineering, transport, oil producing and refining sectors, with the help of our country. Russo-Syrian trade turnover in 2001 reached $163 mln.

Question: Could you comment on Russo-Syrian interaction in the international arena? What are its major goals?

Answer: Russia and Syria exchange opinions on a whole set of issues related to the international and regional situation, especially on the problem of international terrorism, the situation around Iraq and the Palestine-Israeli conflict. The possibility of resuming negotiations between Syria and Israel, and Lebanon and Israel as part of the Middle East settlement is also widely discussed. With Syria being a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, the UN-related problems, including the activity of the Security Council, feature prominently in the Russia-Syria dialogue. Other international issues of mutual interest receive no less attention.